Beneath the Mask
by Shirosaki-sama
Summary: Shortly afer the visored are forced into exile, a new face comes to the Sereitei.His name is Naruto Uzumaki. Who is he, and what does this mean for the future of the Soul Society? What does it mean for the world?


**Please review!**

Aizen steepled his fingers beneath his chin and frowned. The hollowfication experiment had been a success, and as a result, nearly half the captains of the Sereitei were gone.

But...

There had been a snag in the plan.

In his first experiment, someone had gotten away.

It wasn't much of a problem now, the subject had been a lowlife from Rukongai, after all....

What could he possibly do?

---

_"Long time no see, partner!"_

His eyes snapped open, and he cried out in pain.

What a nightmare...

"So, how are you feeling?"

He rose and coughed harshly, holding his bandaged chest.

"Ugh...

"You collapsed at my doorstep." Explained the voice, flicking on the light. "If I hadn't treated your wounds, you might've died."

The man winced in pain.

"Where...am I?"

He just now noticed the stranger.

Her hair was braided lightly before her chest, and he noticed with a startled expression, that she wore a captain's haori.

"You are in the fourth squad barracks. My lieutenant found you in the street."

"Then I owe you my thanks." Replied the man, rising to go. "But I do not belong here-

A hand forced him back down to the bed.

"Rest." She said this kindly, tucking in the sheets so tightly that he had no chance of possibly escaping now.. "With that hole in your chest, you're not going anywhere for at least another week."

"But I-

"Stay."

He paled in fear.

She'd hadn't shown any anger, but the way she had just said that, was enough to make him cower.

"Y-Yes ma'am....

---

(Week later)

He sprang out of bed, did a few push-ups, and grinned.

"Heh. I'm good as new!"

Unohanna gave him a small bow.

"I take it you'll be leaving now?"

He nodded.

"Sure thing. Just gotta pick up my sword from the barracks. Hopefully ya fixed it...

--

_In a small corner a young girl was covered in bruises and a pool of tears were sliding down her face, she had just entered the eighth division and her new experiences were not joyful. Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her and she tried desperately to hide her sorrowful tears but, to no avail she could not and the footstep stopped abruptly when the small child was seen. _

"_What's wrong?", a tall man had asked her after kneeling down to Nanao's level._

"_Nothing!", she snapped back harsher than she intended._

"_Now now, then why are you crying, gaki?" Chided the voice._

"_I don't belong here", Nanao finally replied to the man after shaking her head sideways._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_One of the officers here said that I was just a kid and would never be nothing more than a little pet!"_

_He arched an eyebrow._

"_He's a fool for saying that and he will pay", He exclaimed with anger in his voice._

_He stood up, and a rasp was heard as the sword was drawn._

"_But he's right!!", Nanao screamed as more tears down their way down to her quivering lips_

_"We shall see," He hissed. "Who is in the right."_

_A voice cried out in surprise._

_"H-Hey! What're you-gah!"_

_A body hit the floor, and she knew almost immediately that he was dead._

_"He's attacking! Someone get backup!"_

_The sound of footsteps, and then his voice again._

_"OI! You there! Where you the one who made this girl cry?!"_

_"Yeah, what about it-_

_A scream, and Nanao looked up just in time to see the elegant blade weave a gash across the chest of the fifth seat. He catapulted the officer high into the heavens, with just that one slash. He screamed as he went, and crashed into a wall._

_The man snapped his blade back into his sheathe._

_"Has anyone else insulted this girl?" _

_Everyone bolted out of the room._

_Tsking, he shook his head, and walked back to her. _

_As he walked, his demeanor changed. Gone was the manic light in his eyes, and his jawline unclenched. His shoulder sagged slightly, and his step became more casual, hands resting on his knees when he knelt down to her level._

_"Child, what is your name?"_

_"N-Nanao I-Ise." She stammered._

"_Nanao, that's a lovely name." She hiccuped with a small sob, and he patted her lightly on the head. "Sh, sh. I want you to listen to this. I have something important to tell you", He told her as she found a comfortable position in his lap, looking up at him with her tear stained eyes._

"_Everyone has a road that leads them to greatness and as long as you keep fighting forward you will become great!"_

"_Is that true?", little Nanao asked him after he finished._

_He grinned._

"_Of course it is so forget what everyone says and keep fighting!" Her assured Nanao as he patted her on the back. She blushed lightly under his kind caring words. "Never, ever give up, ya got that?"_

_"W-What about you?"_

_He rose, scratched the back of his head._

_"Me? Just passin through." He glanced towards his escort, who now looked about ready to piss his pants. He could hear the sound of footsteps racing towards him, and immediately knew he had worn out his welcome. "Gotta get goin' anyways."_

_"C-Can I come with you? Just for a little bit?"_

_He paused, in midstep._

_"Eh?"_

_"I want to go with you."_

_"Well-_

_She adjusted her glasses, and held tightly the large book which she always carried._

_"Please sir? I won't be a bother!"_

_"Sir? Cut it out gaki, yer makin' me feel old."_

_"Then...may I ask your name?"_

_He seemed to consider it for a moment._

_"Name's Uzumaki Naruto."_

_Another moment of silence._

_"Ya still wanna come with me?"_

_She nodded eagerly._

_"I'm gonna be in a lotta fights-_

_Her lower lip trembled slightly._

_"People are after me."_

_Her violet eyes now swam with tears and the poor thing looked like she was about to burst. He had the distinct feeling that if he did leave her be, then everyone would stay away from her, due the brief act of violence he had just committed._

_That, and the sight of an innocent child like this-nay, the thought of leaving such a youth all alone in this world..._

_Made his heart, or what was left of it, ache._

_"Please?"_

_He stared at her for a second, then reached down, his resolve broken by a strange mixture of pity and sadness._

_"Alright."_

_"Eep!" She squeaked, as he set her on his shoulder. He was a tall fellow, and she now had a great view of everything around her. Her legs swayed to and fro happily, and she actually felt a smile tugging at her face._

_"Hang on, Nanao-chan." She gripped tightly his shoulders. "Its about to get rough-_

_The door burst in seconds later._

_"There he is!"_

_"HERE WE GO!" He roared, leaping into the fray!_

(Town streets)

"Hey, you! two!"

Two strangers turned to see someone headed their way. One wore long dark cloaks, and a cowl that obscured his face, the hands were hidden in long sleeves. The other, was a young girl, a child, that sat upon his shoulder, a large book slung over her back.

"Do you want to fight him?" She asked the first. He grunted, his voice indicating that he was male. From within his cowl, concerned eyes shone. "No, he's too weak to even cut me."

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you!"

"He'll bring backup trouble for sure if we don't so something about him." Replied the girl.

"I know." Replied the other.

"We shouldn't have come this way."

"This is the only way." Replied the man stoically.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you!"

"He'll bring backup trouble for sure if we don't so something about him." Replied the second.

"I know." Replied the other.

"We shouldn't have come this way."

"This is the only way." Replied the man stoically.

"Do _you_ want to fight him?" She persisted.

"No." Replied the burly man.

She fixed him with a glare.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" He grumbled, staring in the direction of the approaching warrior, then rolled his shoulders in a shrug."I'll fight him, but I want you to sit somewhere safe."

She nodded and hopped off to land on a nearby cart.

She landed next to a feministic looking man.

"Hey. So tell me, why didn't you run away like your friend?" Asked the man as he stopped running, having caught up to him. Over his shoulders he carried a a sword, though it was still strapped in its thick sheathe.

A crowd had begun to gather, and could be heard in the background.

When the robed man didn't answer, the bald man attempted to provoke him. "She obviously ran because she sensed my powers were far superior to her own. Not that a gaki like her matters anyways.

A few laughs.

The man clenched a hand into his fist.

A glint in his eye, and it was not a pleasant one.

"If you ask me, I think he made a pretty wise decision."

"If you're really stronger than me, then there's no point in running." Replied the stranger, killing the amusement. "If your power is greater than mine, then its useless to run, you'd catch me for sure."

With a small rasp, he drew a gleaming blade from the sheathe on his back. It was an elegantly crafted blade, its edge seemed to gleam like a thousand diamonds. The stranger paused to marvel at the blade the enemy wielded.

"However, if my power is greater, then I'll just defeat you and be on my way." Replied the cowled man.

Now it was dead silent.

"Is that so?" Snorted the bald man. "Guess you're not stupid after all."

The air was rife with tension.

Each of them waited for a move to be made-

Nanao blinked, then peered forward.

"Your friend isn't going to win."

Yumichika blinked.

"What?"

"HYA!" Cried the bald man, lashing out with incredible speed, his blade digging deep-

Into the earth, as the stranger stepped away.

**(Background music: Bleach OST Frenzied battle)**

_'He dodged it!'_

The man skidded back, then came at him, swinging overhead-

And was blocked.

"Using your sheathe, eh?"

He pressed down harder-

With one hand.

His free hand now seized the bald man by the chest, and forced him down to the ground.

"I feel sorry for him." Murmured Nanao, as Yumichika tilted his head in confusion, watching the stranger turn the tables on his friend. "He's in a good mood today, that means he won't hold back."

A cry of surpise drew their attention back to the fight.

He stood over the man and shook his head in disappointment, his katana held to the throat of the that could be seen within the hood, were a pair of annoyed, cold blue eyes which seemed to glimmer with untold sadness. They met a pair of startled, confused black eyes, which stared back up at him.

"Idiot. _You _shoulda run."

The sword split the ground where the man had been just a second ago. He had somehow rolled away, and come up against theside of a building. Seconds later, he was gone again, as the wall was split down the middle.

He reappeared, crouching on his knees, panting heavily.

The warrior was a stocky man, his sword lying on the ground next to him. Sweat dripped off his bald head and onto his chin, and his eyes, which had red marks at their corners, were narrowed into pained slits. The sweat fell to the ground in a slow drip-drip.

"That was...impressive." The robed one admitted, bringing his sword back around, and then coming after him again, this time nearly taking an arm, before he rolled away. "Nice! I did not think you had that kind of speed!"

Ikkaku snarled and slashed up at him-

The blade didn't even scratch his chest.

A gash ripped its way down his chest, and a kick to the gut catapaulted Madarame into the air. He stopped his fall by grabbing onto a nearby roof, then swinging back down to the ground.

Much to his surprise, the bald man laughed, taking up his sword as he rose.

"Of course! I haven't had a fight like this in _ages!"_

The blond shook his head and sighed.

"You, what's your name?"

"I only give my name to those I intend to kill." Stated the bald man proudly, holding up both his hilt and blade in a stance.

"Well then, _you_ are an idiot." Replied the other."You've picked possibly the _worst_person in the world to piss off." When Ikkaku did not respond, this only served to further exasperate him. "Do you have any _idea_ who I am?"

"My opponent of course!" Replied Ikkaku, and the stranger swayed away from the low strike. The thrust had left the attacker wide open, and now the tables turned in a vicious display of blood. Whipping the sword around, the blond slashed at the bald man's face, nicking him just above the eye, then delivered a vicious boot to the face to accompany the blow.

Ikkaku was launched away, but dug his blade into the ground, slowing his skid.

_'Fast! He's nearly on par with me!'_

The blond stepped forward, and somehow got in front of him again. Not even wasting a breath to speak, he seized the blade by its edge, and ignoring how it bit into his skin, _yanked_the bald man forward, and into the air, so as to impale him on the blade. It didn't work, as Ikkaku kicked off with his feet in midair, twisting out of harm's way, and preparing his counter.

As he spun, he slashed at the hood, ruining it as his blade took off a good portion of it. Had his enemy not thrust with his own weapon, Ikkaku might've taken his head clear off.

"You're good." He smirked upon landing.

"You're bleeding," replied the blond, noting how the blood was now pooling into the left eye of his adversary.

"Heh, no problem."

He removed the bottom of his hilt, and dipped a finger into it. It looked to be ointment of some kind, and he rubbed it over the wound. Almost immediately, the bleeding stopped.

"Impressive." Complimented the blond. "That's blood clotting ointment in there, isn't it?"

"Sharp. Who's your master?"

The blond held the blade before himself in two hands.

"Well, I can't really say he was my _master_, since I only trained with him for about a year."

A moment of silence hung in the air.

"Who is he?"

"Was. My elder brother trained me. _He _was my sensei."

The man reached up to his hood, and pulled it aside. Smooth, yet frayed, sandy blond locks, which he no longer gelled up, were exposed. **(Note, his hairstyle is currently similar to Urahara's, but sticks out like Ichigo's)**

"Now, let us continue."

This achieved a surprising reaction.

Ikkaku blinked, eyes widening for a moment, before they narrowed into slits. A feral smirk now tugged at his lips, pulling them upward into an almost psychotic grin.

"Oh, so you're _that _guy."

He threw his head back and laughed abandoning his stance. "This is great! It really _is _my lucky day! Running into someone like you here, putting our lives on the line!" He went on to perform a _ridiculous _dance, one that made his opponent sweatdrop. "Fighting you like this, it must be fate!"

_'The hell was that? This one's friggin weird..._

The missing nin blinked in surprise as the blade began to glow abruptly. The afterglow soon moved to the hilt itself, and then covered both sword and sheathe.

The bald man was now exuding a strange energy. He stopped laughing, and took up his blade and sheathe, then pressed them together. "So, It'd probably be rude if I held back anymore....

"What the-

"Grow: Hozukimaru!"

Much to Naruto's surprise, the weapon changed right before his very eyes. Both hilt and sword merged, forming a wooden spear with a long tip, and a red horsehair tassel at its pommel.

Nanao frowned.

"He's from Rukongai, so how can he use shikai?"

Ikkaku laughed aloud."

"Don't be so surprised, gaki. If you misread me, it's all over."

He now jammed its pommel into the ground.

"I'm not a kid." Replied the blond, preparing to move-

"Wait."

Ikkaku surprised him by holding up a hand.

"Now what?"

"Almost forgot, I never told ya my name."

"Ikkaku Madarame." He still held the superior tone as he spoke, as if this enemy were beneath him.

"I thought you only gave your name to those you intended to kill?" Replied the blond, his right hand reaching back to his hilt as it was sheathed again. The fingers curled and uncurled around its soft hilt, preparing to draw it loose.

The bald man laughed.

"Exactly."

The silver blade flew out of its sheathe just before the blow came. It was now coated in chakra, which he had stored inside the scabbard for just such a purpose.

That little extra layer of defense likely saved his life.

Sparks flew as he slammed aside Ikkaku's thrust, embedding the pommel into the ground. Madarame yanked it out in a heartbeat, then spun it like a pole, clearly intending to drive his target back. This failed, as instead of falling back...

The blond held his ground.

Ducking low, he let the tip twirl over his head, then slashed up in a lightning fast motion. In doing so, he stopped the spin, and forced the spear up. Shifting his grip to a more underhand swinging style, he relished in the surprised expression Ikkaku now wore. Gripping tightly the hilt, then swung in a low right arc, clearly intending to cleave of the baldy's head.

Ikkaku just grinned.

"Split apart: Hozukimaru!"

Much to his surprise, the spear _split _into three separate sections. And now the tip of those sections was about to pierce his eye! Blood sprayed through the air like a small geyser, and he skidded back.

"Does it hurt?" Taunted Ikkaku....

As blood dripped from his right hand.

"You probably can't even hold a sword with that hand anymore." He jeered.

The blond looked down at his hand...

"C'mon, give yourself up. Its over."

And clenched it into a fist.

His eyes glimmered red, and he chuckled darkly.

"Give up? You haven't even seen _half_ of what I can do. Besides-

Nanao swallowed once, "He's smiling." and everyone paled.

The ground cratered under his feet, and that was the only warning Madarame received. His spiritual pressure, once a mere faint glimmer, barely higher than a child's-

Now became mind numbingly powerful.

A sharp headbutt jarred Ikkaku's senses, cutting off the swing before it could be completed. The crazed warrior was now on him like ugly on an ape, and grinning with all the glee of a psychotic killer.

"I'M JUST STARTING TO HAVE FUN!"

Hozukimaru nicked the side of his cheek, but the berserker didn't seem to care, judging by his wild laugh. Never once did he let up his attacks, even as the spear slashed at his eye. He was getting bloodied now, but he seemed to be _enjoying_it. "Oh this is FUN!" He cackled, as he forced Ikkaku down and back. "I haven't fought someone like you in a _long_ time!"

He now began to rain down a fury of one handed swings upon the spear, forcing Ikkaku to stand his ground. Each impact numbed his arms, every strike nearly buckled his knees. Sweat beaded off his brow and onto his neck.

Each attack was coming faster and faster, and now the ground cratered beneath his feet. This was no man he was fighting, no mere human wielded this kind of strength! This man, was a monster!

He was a demon!

Ikkaku skidded back as something drove hard into his chest, then realized he had been hit by the square hilt of the blade.

Hard.

He clamored up-

And the blade pierced the wall an inch from his face. Unable to take the blow, the stone crumbled and fell to pieces. Having lost his footing, the bald man stumbled backwards.

He was there again, and now Ikkaku had to whirl about, somehow catching the long blade on his pole. Unfortunately, this strike was even stronger then the last, and it took every fiber of his being to not go to his knees from the impact.

The blond laughed wildly, as Ikkaku paled in fear.

"You...just what the hell are you?"

Blood dripped into his eye, and he pulled some hair out of it.

"I only give my name to those I kill."

The insult stung, but was ignored.

It took a lot to surprise Ikkaku Madarame. Even more to actually scare him shitless. But what he had just seen, bordered on the edge of demonic-no, it was demonic. That grin, that power, the _reiatsu_ he had felt emanating from the man, was like nothing he had ever seen or felt before.

It was almost like a hollow, but it _wasn't_ a hollow.

All this from a low-life Rukongai like him?

Not wanting to take the chance of getting cut up like that again, the bald man took the opening he saw, when the berserker seemed to turn away for a second.

"Never let go of your sword!" Cried Ikkaku, springing forward with the spear-

POOF!

The shadow clone vanished.

It was a feint, and his actions had proved to be a mistake.

A hand seized his shoulder.

The enemy was now behind him. His blade was raised high, and its edge now gleamed in the early morning light. His eyes were cold, but now they held a measure of respect.

His eyes shimmered for a second, with the massive power he held at his command.

"You fought well." He commended. "But its over."

Time seemed to slow as he began to mouth the words. Ikkaku's eyes tripled as the sun itself seemed to dip into the blade, radiating golden brilliance from the heavens itself.

"Kuso!"

"Raisu Tenshou." **(Cutting wind)** He whispered.

Wounded as he was, Madarame simply didn't have the _time _to move.

A wall of wind slammed into him, with such force and intensity that it actually cut into his skin, ripping open gashes about his arms, chest and legs. Though he had tried to block at the last second with his spear, the wind now effortlessly sliced through his spear, and cut into him further, spiralling into a twister than maintained its position.

The blond waved a hand, and the windstorm subsided. For a moment, Ikkaku seemed to just hang there. Then gravity desired to exert its claim on him once more. With a sigh, he fell to the ground, his spear broken, his body battered, bloody and beaten.

The blood began to pool under his body, and he had not the strength to get up and fight.

He had lost.

"Later." He stated, blade slung over opposite arm, and turning to go-

A hand seized his leg, holding him fast.

**(Like how Kenpachi does it)**

"Wait! You have to end it!" Protested Ikkaku.

The blond looked down over his shoulder.

"End it? Why the hell should I do that?"

"Of course!" He cried, struggling to his elbows. "Any fight is a fight to the death!"

The victor frowned.

"I don't kill weaklings. Now that you can't fight, I don't give a rats ass about ya."

"What're you scared?!"

In a second, the blond had him by the collar.

He dragged him close, and snarled:

"Quit yer bitching' if ya like fightin' so much!"

Ikkaku winced.

"The hell?"

"Don't just accept defeat and beg for death! Accept it _after _you're dead!" His eyes now seemed to shine with a manic light. "Survive and kill the one who couldn't kill you!"

Ikkaku was held fast by that bloodlust.

"Its not like I held back! The only reason you're still alive is because your _lucky_! I didn't show you any mercy!"

_'This guy..._

"Live." He ordered. "Live and come try to kill me again."

He released Ikkaku, and let him fall to the ground.

"I'll be waiting."

As if by a silent command, Nanao appeared on his shoulder.

"You let him live." She stated this as a fact.

"Of course. Like I said, weaklings don't interest me."

"Can we get something to eat, please? I'm hungry."

"Fine, lead the way."

With that, he turned to go-

"Wait! At least tell me your name!"

Naruto paused, looked over his shoulder again. He grinned, in an almost shark-like smile, exposing his teeth.

"Uzumaki Naruto." An ominous aura seemed to emanate from this man, yet it was pure, directed, and had a clear contrite purpose. "Remember it. And pray that you don't hear it again!"

And then they were gone.

--

Ikkaku slowly opened his eyes, squinting them against the light. "How are you feeling?" A voice asked.

Yumichika.

He knew who was treating him without even seeing them, and he felt his body relaxing.

"Thirsty..." He rasped out.

"Take it easy, and try to drink something." He felt a glass of what she assumed was water placed at his lips, and her assumption was confirmed an instant later as the cool liquid washed into his mouth. "So you lost, hmm. And not to a shinigami, but someone like _us_."

"I've never seen anyone like that, until _him_." Protested Ikkaku.

"Why didn't you release your bankai on him?"

"I didn't have time. We seemed to be about evenly matched, then he raised his power and did a number on my ass. Kicked me around pretty good too."

"Well, that's good to hear. If that one was a shinigami I'd be a little frightened. He turned away to look at something on a chart, and their thoughts drifted back to what the blond had said. _'Live! Live so you can come and fight me again!.'_

"By the way," He said, drawing Ikkaku's attention back to. "Are you going after him?" Seeing the scowling expression on his friend's face, Yumichika sighed. "As If I had to ask...

"You're right, he doesn't-" Any conversation was cut off as a reiatsu as powerful as any he had ever felt slammed into their senses. At this distance, they weren't truly affected by it, but the sheer power made the hair on the back of their necks stand straight up.

"Its him." Wheezed Madarame, trying to rise. "He's still nearby...

A hand to the neck, and a pressure point was squeezed.

He passed out, the blackness taking him...

"Idiot."

--

Nanao Ise still slept soundly in the arms of her guardian as they walked. A small smile was plastered on her young face, and for the first time since he had met her, she looked content. He had treated her wounds, and she was doing just fine now. Ironically, she was using her _book_ for a pillow, whilst his arms cradled her gently.

_"You have a habit of attracting unwanted attention." _The voice grumbled.

He brushed down a strand of dark raven black hair from her glasses.

"Its a gift."

He remembered the very first time he set eyes upon Ise Nanao. Unusual for her age, the little girl had the knowledge privy to a lieutenant shinigami. Her skill was probably that of a fifth seat. Also, her thick glasses seemed too big for her face. But, he saw much potential in the young one. Granted, he had doubts about Nanao's skills with the blade, but when it came to these _spells_, the girl was all right, he thought.

She'd completely healed him after his fight with the shinigami, which he had to admit, sliced him up pretty damn good.

With some luck, she might become a great healer.

--

"Not bad."

The figure threw his swords up into the air, then jerked his head slightly to the left as it came back down. With a small clack, they slid effortlessly into the sheathes strapped to his side.

"However, speed alone will not be enough to get you through this fight, _especially_ when I did not wish to fight you in the first place." A small sigh escaped him, as he saw the man's fingers tightened on his own hilt. "Are you _still_ going to come at me?"

"Of course!" Growled Naruto.

Kyoraku shook his head and sighed.

"You really are a stubborn one. Why are you so determined to become a soul reaper?"

At this, the blond lowered his sword, slightly.

But now, that manic grin was back.

"Why? To get stronger of course!"

"If that's the case, then I'm the wrong captain to pick a brawl with. We've lost most of our main force recently, due to an...incident." His face seemed to fall at the mention of this.

Then he noticed Nanao, who was standing a little ways behind him.

"But I'm glad that you brought Nanao-chan back. We were worried sick about her."

He snapped his fingers and smiled suddenly.

"I know! How about I offer you a seat in my division?"

"Eh?"

"How does lietuenant sound to you?"

"Eh?! _Lieutenant_?!"

Nanao visibly bristled at this idea, as she was still heartbroken by the 'betrayal' of Lisa Yadomaru, whom often read to her. Now with her idol gone, she didn't want anyone to take her place, and certainly not her rank!

"You can perform shikai, can't you?"

"Obviously."

"Then show me. I'm rather curious as to what it is."

"Blow the winds into chaos: Hitohime!"**(Princess of the gales)**

A twister of white wind surrounded the zanpaktou. It started out at the yellow hilt, worked its way past the guard, which was in the shape fo a fox head, and finally coiled around the blade itself.

When the gust had had finally died down, the shikai form of the sword was revealed. The hilt itself was now a pure white color, and slightly longer as well. The guard had changed from a foxhead, to that of a fox _skull_, which was a bright silver, as opposed to that of the gold fox head.

But the blade, it had changed completeley. The steel shimmered with red light, almost if it were alive. Its entire edge was serated, with little black hooks now extended around the entire length of the blade, they extended and retracted at random inervals, further bellying the living apperance of the blade. He squeezed its hilt, and the spikes spun, as if the blade itself were a chainsaw.

The spikes spun faster and faster, until the steel itself hummed with dark blue energy.

Kyoraku gave a low whistle.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. I'm actually glad I'm not fighting you."

"About that offer....I'll have to decline." Replied the blond. "Sorry, but taking orders just isn't my style."

Little Nanao breathed a visible sigh of relief, whilst Kyoraku sighed in minor dissapointment. "If that's the case, then you'd have a much easier time of it with the captain of squad eleven." The cheery mood was now back in place.

"He's probably the only person who'd be willing to stake his rank in a fight with you, at least right now. Are you sure you want _his_ position?"

The blond frowned as he sealed his shikai, then sheathed the silvery edge of his blade.

"Leader of a bunch of brawlers? I like the sound of that. Take me to him."

Kyoraku tipped his hat, but it could not hide the warm smile.

"Anxious, aren't we?"

**Note: This takes place almost immediately after the loss of all the captains. Zaraki will still make an appearance, so don't worry. And as for Aizen letting Naruto live, _big_ mistake.**


End file.
